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Top 5 best 49 to 55-inch TVs

In this guide

With the price of big-screen TVs falling, you’ll find affordable 49, 50 and 55-inch TVs with features once reserved for only the most expensive sets. Here are the best from our tests.

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With many models boasting exceptional picture quality and prices gradually coming down, it isn't surprising that so many of us are investing in TVs capable of delivering a real wow factor in our homes.

From reasonably priced mid-range sets from top brands, such as Samsung and LG, to the very best they have to offer, whether you're on a budget or you’re looking to spend big, you’ll find something for you in this size bracket.

But price isn’t everything. We’ve branded TVs costing as much as £700 as Don’t Buys. Equally, we’ve seen Best Buys for as a little as £450 outperform models two or even three times the price.

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Best 49 to 55-inch TVs

79%

£1,699.00

Reviewed Jun 2018

TVs don't get much better than this one. It's sound is flawless and the picture quality is excellent no matter the resolution you're watching.

And here are three 49 to 55-inch TVs to avoid

Marketing jargon should always be taken with a pinch of salt. We ignore the hype, testing every TV in real-world conditions and watching the same footage over and over again to ensure we unearth the very best sets. Our picture and sound quality experts have been left disappointed by TVs promising the latest TV technology – here, we round up some the worst offending sets.

49 to 55-inch TVs to avoid

50%

£479.00

Reviewed Sep 2018

There's no shortage of exceptional 55-inch TVs to choose from these days - but this TV isn't one of them. The three stars for picture and sound quality may lead you to believe that this TV isn't half bad, but it reached those ratings by the skin of its teeth.

Pricing, recommendations and test scores correct as of September 2018.

How to choose the best 49 to 55-inch TV

Although the type of TV you choose is down to your own personal preference, it's important to think carefully about whether a jumbo TV of 50 to 55-inch is right for your home.

We often hear tales of people being tempted by a large TV in the shop only to realise it is way too big once they get it home. The vast majority of TVs this size now come with a 4K ultra-HD screen – we recommend sitting around 3 metres away and half a metre or so further for Full HD models.

If this is the right size for you, here are some key things to look out for:

4K ultra-HD: Due to its sharper picture, this higher resolution features on almost all of our Best Buy TVs, especially those of this size. If you’re looking for a future-proof set, we strongly recommend getting your hands on a 4K TV to make sure you don’t miss out on top-quality content in years to come.

Sound quality: There’s a huge disparity in sound quality across modern flatscreen TVs. While a Best Buy sound bar will improve your experience of any TV, the sound shouldn’t be so bad that you’re forced to splash out on one. We test every TV with both music and dialogue to ensure our Best Buys not only look great, but sound great, too.

High Dynamic Range: You’ll now find this picture technology on most 4K sets. It should give deeper blacks, brighter whites and more subtlety of tone in between, but you need HDR content to make use of it. While this remains sparse, HDR isn't a must-have feature. But with broadcasters, including the BBC, running trials, we expect to see it boom over the coming years.